The following guide to choosing the best music program for you or your child provides a summary of several articles available on the internet. Go the end of this article to find links to what those articles have to offer.
One of the most important decisions you will make as a parent is helping your children achieve success through choosing the best educational opportunities for them. The first question most people ask when contacting a prospective teacher is "How much do you charge?" and then "Where are you located?" followed by “When are the lessons?” While most families do need to think about cost, choosing a teacher near by and scheduling, you might also consider some other factors that over the years can save you dollars and your child hours in learning time. Asking the following questions can give you confidence that you are finding the best teacher and program for your children’s music studies.
One of the most important decisions you will make as a parent is helping your children achieve success through choosing the best educational opportunities for them. The first question most people ask when contacting a prospective teacher is "How much do you charge?" and then "Where are you located?" followed by “When are the lessons?” While most families do need to think about cost, choosing a teacher near by and scheduling, you might also consider some other factors that over the years can save you dollars and your child hours in learning time. Asking the following questions can give you confidence that you are finding the best teacher and program for your children’s music studies.
Your Goals
What goals do you or your children have regarding their music studies? When our children are young, neither we nor they know exactly how they might use their music skills later in life but you want them to have a strong set of skills that lead to lifelong enjoyment. The main goal shouldn’t be “try it out to see if it’s fun”. Music study involves hard work, dedication and commitment both from them and from you, and also from your teacher. It requires getting the work done even on sunny days when other kids are playing outside; and for you, the parent, figuring out how to make that happily happen. The intense enjoyment and satisfaction we find as performers comes with recognizing our achievements. Learning and seeing our own accomplishments provides the rewards that make music study fun. Parents play a crucial role in this process.
Schedules
Families with several children often need to work around numerous activities. Do you have so many family activities in the week that you can only fit in one 30 minute slot at 4:30 on Tuesdays or do you have the flexibility to work into the schedule of this teacher? Will your child be home enough hours each day to do her/his practicing, homework and chores? These are extremely important questions to consider even before choosing a teacher.
Better teachers are sought after by many students and therefore have tighter schedules. They may also offer first scheduling choices to students who have been with them for awhile and afterwards to newer families. However, the number of days a week and the hours each day a teacher is available indicates something about the teacher’s commitment to teaching. You want to choose a teacher who shows major commitment to teaching.
Better teachers are sought after by many students and therefore have tighter schedules. They may also offer first scheduling choices to students who have been with them for awhile and afterwards to newer families. However, the number of days a week and the hours each day a teacher is available indicates something about the teacher’s commitment to teaching. You want to choose a teacher who shows major commitment to teaching.
The Teacher
A private music teacher has a unique relationship with a student, developed from many years working together. Generally a child has a classroom, Sunday school teacher, dance or sports coach for only one year and shares that time with many other students. Music students may begin with a private teacher when at a very young age and continue that relationship right through high school – 12 or more years. Your child will be the only student in that private lesson so the focus is directly on his or her individual needs. A very close, personal relationship grows between them. Your private teacher becomes as close to your child as do many family members. You also want a teacher who is comfortable with having you observe the lessons and who guides you in participating in the learning process.
You will want to choose a full-time, certified, professional teacher, having decades of training and experience in how to teach, not just how to play, and who has well developed policies. This teacher will save you extra dollars and time compared to one without that training and experience. Many highly skilled performers lack training in understanding the needs of a novice learner. Yes, the less expensive and less trained person might play much better than the beginning student but that doesn't necessarily mean she or he teaches well. A teacher must fully comprehend the skills necessary to become a performer at a very high level but along with that, the learning modalities and processes of children in order to develop those skills in their students from the first lessons. Otherwise, in the future your child may spend a lot of time (and your dollars) fixing poor technique.
You will want to choose a full-time, certified, professional teacher, having decades of training and experience in how to teach, not just how to play, and who has well developed policies. This teacher will save you extra dollars and time compared to one without that training and experience. Many highly skilled performers lack training in understanding the needs of a novice learner. Yes, the less expensive and less trained person might play much better than the beginning student but that doesn't necessarily mean she or he teaches well. A teacher must fully comprehend the skills necessary to become a performer at a very high level but along with that, the learning modalities and processes of children in order to develop those skills in their students from the first lessons. Otherwise, in the future your child may spend a lot of time (and your dollars) fixing poor technique.
The Institution
The U.S.A. allows anyone or place to offer music lessons and to call their business by any name they wish. Just the word private, conservatory or college does not mean that students within find success. There is no name that guarantees excellence. You need to look more closely to learn about the quality of the program.
The Facility
Choose a teacher or program well suited to the age of your student and your expectations for the lessons. Does it feel warm and inviting or cold and institutional? Is the décor appealing to children? Is it located in a music store focused on sales of their products? Is it a dual-service living area in someone’s home with probable interruptions from other family members, pets, doorbells and phone calls?
The Lesson
You do not wish to choose a teacher who follows a single educational approach—one that uses a one-fits-all method. This can be easily seen if the teacher identifies as a Suzuki teacher or uses a book such as All for Strings for every student. Not that either of these methods offer poor choices, but a huge variety of methods and materials exist—some written with young children in mind and others for older learners; some for those completely new to music and some for those with previous music training; some lean more towards classical and others more folksy; some written for students simultaneously learning many different instruments, as in larger public-school classes, rather than a book specific to the technical requirements for the one instrument your child studies.
Each student has a unique set of abilities at the start and this continues all the way through. They have different learning modes and various interests. Younger learners benefit from larger print and less cluttered pages. Older students may find cartoon-like illustrations childish. How does the teacher determine what methods or books to use for each student?
Each student has a unique set of abilities at the start and this continues all the way through. They have different learning modes and various interests. Younger learners benefit from larger print and less cluttered pages. Older students may find cartoon-like illustrations childish. How does the teacher determine what methods or books to use for each student?
Social Issues
Most children love being with other children and younger children love interacting with older students who serve as their mentors. When choosing a teacher, you will want to ask these questions. Do students have opportunities to work in smaller groups with their peers? Do younger students get to work with more advanced students? What opportunities do students have to develop friendships with others who have their interests?
Student Success
Our accomplishments bring us great joy and frequently having successful events drives students to make the commitments towards their studies. What sorts of evaluations do students receive? How successful are students in obtaining scholarships and awards? What ratings do students receive from outside judges such as at solo festivals and scholarship auditions? How much and varied repertoire can students perform well and with confidence? Do they have frequent performance opportunities to show off their accomplishments? Do students continue playing after leaving high school and later in life? How successful are students who go on to pursue professional studies?
The Curriculum
In order to make musical decisions, students need to have studied a broad curriculum containing more than just technical skills. Does this program only offer lessons or does it include other learning opportunities? What ensembles, and how many different types of ensemble activities, are available? How many performance opportunities do students have? Do students learn to really read music or are they “note-players”? Do they have opportunities for improvisation? How do students learn music theory? Do they learn about great musicians, composers, history and how to use this knowledge when developing their own interpretations of their pieces? Do students have opportunities for leadership positions or do the teachers do it all? Does the teacher teach contemporary styles of playing including classical, folk and jazz? Is there a college Advanced Placement course to challenge students to reach higher goals?
Parents
Parent engagement is almost as important as student engagement. How do parents get involved in the school? What opportunities do parents have to participate in activities? Do parents and families get to know one another? Do parents have a say in the operation of the program?
Communication
Communication between parents and teachers is time consuming, particularly for a teacher with many students, but good communication leads to more effective learning. How do teachers keep parents informed? Is there a good newsletter? Is there a bulletin board or posting of notices? Is e-mail used to communicate? How available are teachers outside of class/lesson time?
These questions do not necessarily have one answer and not all may apply to you. You, your student and your family have your own needs and expectations. Hopefully thinking about which of the above aspects fit your situation, and then discovering that information for any programs or teachers you might consider, leads you to choosing the best place for your student’s music studies.
For more information on choosing the best teacher, you might wish to read the following blogs which this information summarizes.
"5 Things to Consider in Choosing A Music Teacher" "What to Look for in a Violin Teacher" "How to Find the Right Violin Teacher"
"How to Choose a Violin Teacher"
Best of luck.
For more information on choosing the best teacher, you might wish to read the following blogs which this information summarizes.
"5 Things to Consider in Choosing A Music Teacher" "What to Look for in a Violin Teacher" "How to Find the Right Violin Teacher"
"How to Choose a Violin Teacher"
Best of luck.